Sometimes you really want to drop everything you’re doing and go somewhere warm and beautiful for the weekend. A couple of days may not be enough for a full-fledged trip abroad, but it is quite enough to visit one of the glorious southern cities of Russia.
If you have firmly decided that you want to spend another weekend away from the capital, we advise you to buy train tickets to Rost Angeles. This is exactly what the residents of Rostov-on-Don humorously call their city. The price of one ticket starts from 1500 rubles. Travel time will take from 15 to 24 hours, but in this city you can really take a good break from everyday work, bask in the sun and see interesting sights.
Photo: big-rostov.ru
For example, you can look at the Paramonov warehouses (on the map). They are located right in the city center and are a monument of federal significance. Despite the special status, in the post-war years the old warehouse buildings fell into complete disrepair. Now the buildings are red brick ruins, inside of which several springs make their way to the surface. The result is entire lakes and small waterfalls. This is an unusual sight for a metropolis, so the Paramonovsky warehouses have become a popular place among young people and wedding photographers.
Another great place for tourist photography is the embankment of the Don River (on the map). Residents and guests of the city love to relax here. On the embankment you can book a boat excursion or simply stroll along the water, admiring the colorful southern sculptures. Among the most famous, it is worth mentioning “Rostovchanka”, “Gregory and Aksinya in a boat”, “Don Father” and many others.
One of the most attractive places for tourists in Rostov-on-Don is the zoo (on the map). It is one of the largest in Russia. Over 5 thousand animals belonging to 400 different species live here. Many of them are listed in the Red Book.
At the zoo you can see elephants, giraffes, tigers, lions and even a pygmy hippopotamus. The cost of entrance tickets for adults is 80 rubles on weekdays and 100 rubles on weekends and holidays.
7 kilometers from the city center, tourists can visit the Museum of Railway Equipment (on the map). It was opened in 1960. Currently, the museum collection includes about 60 exhibits. Sometimes museum staff organize excursions on an old steam locomotive, which travels around the city and even reaches Taganrog.
During the Civil War, Rostov-on-Don was one of the centers of the White movement. This continued until the 1st Cavalry Army of Marshal Budyonny occupied the city in 1920. Echoes of those times can still be found today. Take, for example, the monument to the cart, located at the southern entrance to Rostov-on-Don (on the map). Or the mansion of Wrangel, the famous leader of the White movement. It was built in 1885, but is currently in disrepair (on the map).
What southern city could do without pleasant green parks and public gardens? There are more than 45 of them in Rostov-on-Don. The most interesting: 1st May Park and Maxim Gorky Park.
1 May Park is the oldest in the city (on the map). It has retained its historical layout. Folk festivals often take place here, there are attractions for children and a small stage where musicians regularly perform.
Maxim Gorky Park is located closer to the city center (on the map). Here you can find interesting monuments, souvenir shops and a Ferris wheel, which offers an excellent view of the city. One of the popular places in the park is the alley, where townspeople gather to play chess, checkers or backgammon.
As you may have noticed, Rostov-on-Don is a great option for spending your weekend. In this city you can take a break from the exhausting bustle and add to your collection of beautiful photographs.
